Sterilizing-cabinet.



O. A HOLLlS. STERILIZING CABINET. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2.4915.

$267,322. Patented May 21,1918.

luvzm'rong Wamzssas.

-' section of the cabinet, showing details of the fan arrangement, being the section indicated SAES OTISv A. HOLLIS, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HOLLIS STERILIZING EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

STERILIZING-CABINET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 2, 1915. Serial No. 11,520.

To all whom it may concern:

zen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Sterilizing-Cabinet, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to containers for instruments which have to besterilized or disinfected, after use, and my particular object is to provide such a cabinet in the mostsanitary form possible, of a structure which can be manufactured at small cost, and of such form that the entire contents of the cabinet may be observed from the outside, from any side, without opening the door. In addition to this the operation of the disinfecting medium can be observed and adjusted from the outside without opening the case.

In my co-pending application No. 829528, filed April 4th, 1914, I have described a cabinet somewhat similar to the present one, and-with some of the features herein embodied. The present case, is, however, an

improvement upon the structure described for; Fig. 3 is a perspective of the glass top for the case of Fig. 1, showing a reservoir "aflixed in the middle of said top. Figs. 1, 2

and 3, show the whole of my cabinet, the re- 1 spective views showing the case, interior structure, and top, in dis-associated position,

just as they would be if the top were first raised, then the interior frame raised, all on a common center line.

Fig. 4 shows the details of the arrangement of wicks at the top of the frame; Fig. 5 is a plan view of a horizontal section through the case on the line A A of Fig. 6; and Fig. 6 is a partial by lines B B, of Fig. 5.

The details of construction of my cabinet are as follows:

I prefer to use an integral glass vessel, 11, of a rectangular form, with rounded corners, and with a flange 12 at the open end thereof, to form the bottom and walls of my cabinet. On the front side of the cabinet a door 13 is cut out, and re-attached by hinges 14 and latch 15. Another rectangular glass vessel 16 is provided, the open end being of proper size to closely fit over the open top of the case 11, and to be retained by the flange 12 thereon. Suitable packing, such as a rubber band, can be used between the two glass parts and about the door to secure an air tight fit, if necessary.

A frame adapted to be inserted in the glass case 11 is made of tubular metal members 17 and 18, shaped as shown in Fig. 2. These members are welded or soldered together at their intersection, shown at the top of the figure, and they are also rigidly held by the metal cross member 19, as shown at the bottom'of the figure. The lower ends of slightly bent inward in order to force theframe' into the glass case. This insures rigidity to the metal frame, and furnishes a firm support for shelves 22, and the fan 23.

Aflixed in the middle of the top 16 is a liquid-containing reservoir 24:, with an air valve 25 at the top, and having an opening through the glass top inside the cabinet. Any desirable means of regulating the flow of liquid from this reservoir into the cabinet may be used, but I prefer to use a valve as indicated on the top of the reservoir, so that the supply may be shut off at anytime by a simple, turn of the valve stem. This reservoir is so constructed that it may be re-filled without removing the top of the cabinet.

Immediately under the outlet of the reservoir 24, inside the cabinet, is the intersection of the frame members 17 and 18. icks 26 extend from near the bottom of said frame members, on the outside thereof, to near the top, where they are threaded through a hole into the tube and thence out on top of the frame members, across to their Patented May 21, 1918. v

the wic'ks are exposed spindle 31 ab out ing. a handle .35 on of thenature of the article;

intersecting knot 27, which is immediately under the opening in the reservoir 24;. Thus i to the air across the top of the cabinet and vertically throughout itsdepthI' Fig} 4' shows in detail the manner of threading the wicks through the tubes and bringing them to the knot under the reservoir drip.

i9"; is a a at when as having suitable number of paddles I p opposite direction from the horizontal, so that when the fan revolves currents of air will.be1 forced upward and downward in the cabinet. In the interior of the fan wheel is a coil springSO, one end of which is attached to the wheel, and the other to the rigi d which it revolves. Wound around the drum 32' upon whic'h is fixed the fan wheel 28 is a. flexible belt 33, extending through a slot (34), in the case 11;, and havthe outside of said' case. WVhen this handle is pulled and the belt withdrawn, the fan is rotated counter-clock wise, and the springis wound up. When the handle, is released the spring reverses the fan'wheel, and winds upthe belt. In either direction there is a current of air forced upward and downward throughout the cabinet;

Inthe case of the use of instruments upon the human body, suchfor instance as surgical appliances, barbers tools, manicuring outfits, etc., it is necessary to thoroughly sterilize'lthe instruments after use upon one person before application to another person, in order toprevent a transfer ofinfectious diseases. Infac't such sterilization is now required by law in a great many States. It is inconvenient-to boil such instruments as combs and brushes,shaving brushes,--etc., and in many cases it is impossible on account However, the same result may be secured by putting such articles in a tightly closed cabinet in which air is saturated wi'ha powerful disinfectant-such'as formaldehyde. 1

My cabinet is especially adapted for this purpose, sinceit consists of an air tight case, having room for the storage of a large number of instruments,-meahs for distributing a volatile liquid throughout thev cabinet in such'a'i'nannerthat it is exposed, to constant evaporation, thus insuring a thorough saturation of air with the fumes of the liquid. Thedisinfectant drops from the reservoir at the top of the cabinet upon the intersection of the wicks and by them' is conducted on]four sides through the entire depth of the cabinet, as explained above. The case is made of glass so. that the operator may observefrom the outside exactly where each instrument is situated on the inside and where he must reach for. it in taking it out.

Consequently there is no necessity for openinstant at any time.

Suspended underneath the retaining bra-c ef fection.

29 thereon, inclined in ing the door of the cabinet for more than Also the structure of the'ca'se, being entirely of glass, insures that one may see entirely through the case from any side, and therefore the person uponwhon'i the ii'1strumentsare" used is enabled to observe whether proper precautions taken to procure thorough disinp Also it is possible to observe by the drip" of the liquid from the reservoir whether ornot the sterilizing agent is being properly and constantly distributed throughout the case, without waste, and the supply can be adjusted or renewed Without opening the cabinet. The case itself is thoroughly sanitary, being made of glass and inetal, except forv the wicks, whichare kept saturated with'an agent designed especially to prevent any septic growth. There aretno joints or cracks in the glass, and it will be observed that the metal frame stands out from the case and only contacts at four small oints. v

The belt 33 may be'a barbers razor strop, and therefore each time the barber. pulls out his strop' to sharpen the razor, he rotates the fan and thoroughly mixes the air throughout the cabinet. 7

It will be further observed that ready accessis obtained to any part of the case or frame by simply, removing the-glass top 16 and pulling out the rigid frame from the cabinet. .Thus the cross frame members form a bail by which the whole interior mechanism and shelving, with the, fan arrangement attached, may be withdrawn from the case for inspection or carriage from place to place as desired, Furthermore, the reservoir being rigidly fixed in the glass top acts as a convenient handle therefor.

Many other advantages and conveniences of this form of containers notherein recited will be apparentto those familiar with such devices.

I claim: I

1. In a sterilizing cabinetconsisting of an integral container having-an open top and. a door ,in one side, the combination of a removable transparei'it, top therefor, an outer reservoir in" the middle ofthe top, having an opening therethrough, and means within the cabinet for distributing liquid disinfectant from said reservoir throughout the cabinet.

cabinet and having a door therein and a re- 13 movable top, of a removable metal frame said Wicks, and means to intermittently agicomposed of intersecting members, rigidly tate the air throughout the cabinet.

attached to each other, and adapted to hold OTIS A. HOLLIS. shelves, of Wicks supported by the frame Witnesses:

members and extending throughout the cabi- J o. BAILY BROWN,

net, of a valved reservoir fixed in the top W. A. HEOKMAN.

and adapted to drop liquid disinfectant on Copies 01 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

